(biblicalthought;38495)
If the Holy Spirit brings about within you the conviction of sin, IOW, if you begin to recognize your need for a Savior because you have offended a holy and righteous God, then you have been brought to that place of helplessness and need. That is where you respond to the gospel call to repent and believe. It is not initially brought about by your own will (John 1:12-13), but of God. Believing that God exists does not save anyone. Like James said, "even the demons believe!" Faith in Christ is believing that Jesus died in your place as a substitute in bearing the wrath of God that was poured out on Him in His body on Calvary's Cross. When you believe you are justified and declared not-guilty, and are robed in the righteousness of Christ. This union with Christ is your righteousness before God where he no longer views you as a hated enemy, rather, He views you with the pleasure He takes in His Son. That is why we cannot glory in anything that we have done, only in what God has done. He paid the price. He earned our righteousness. He purchased the elect with His blood. On the cross, just before He died, he said "it is finished." Christians believe this and offer themselves as a living sacrifice to God now that they are loved by God and no longer enemies. Scripture calls this being "reconciled" to God, meaning, His attitude toward us has changed. That is why we sing praise and offer worship and pray. He saved us.
So whatever good we do, we can never be happy that we did good because it was all God's doing. Not ours?
If the Holy Spirit brings about within you the conviction of sin, IOW, if you begin to recognize your need for a Savior because you have offended a holy and righteous God, then you have been brought to that place of helplessness and need. That is where you respond to the gospel call to repent and believe. It is not initially brought about by your own will (John 1:12-13), but of God. Believing that God exists does not save anyone. Like James said, "even the demons believe!" Faith in Christ is believing that Jesus died in your place as a substitute in bearing the wrath of God that was poured out on Him in His body on Calvary's Cross. When you believe you are justified and declared not-guilty, and are robed in the righteousness of Christ. This union with Christ is your righteousness before God where he no longer views you as a hated enemy, rather, He views you with the pleasure He takes in His Son. That is why we cannot glory in anything that we have done, only in what God has done. He paid the price. He earned our righteousness. He purchased the elect with His blood. On the cross, just before He died, he said "it is finished." Christians believe this and offer themselves as a living sacrifice to God now that they are loved by God and no longer enemies. Scripture calls this being "reconciled" to God, meaning, His attitude toward us has changed. That is why we sing praise and offer worship and pray. He saved us.
So whatever good we do, we can never be happy that we did good because it was all God's doing. Not ours?